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“This year has been full of ups and downs. However, no
matter what happens, we can only continue expressing ourselves. We will protect
our voices, the members will not forget how to play their instruments. So promise
you won’t forget us! We may be selfish, but we are serious about our music. We
will continue to improve. Please believe in us.” - Lee Hongki

FTISLAND
held their ‘2019 FTISLAND Japan Encore Live – Arigato’ Finale in Makuhari Messe
Event Hall on September 1st. This was the encore to their 13-stop
nation-wide tour ‘FTISLAND Japan Live Tour – Five Treasures’ held from April 4th
to May 5th (earlier this year). There were a total of 4 performances
across both Osaka Grand Cube and Makuhari Messe Event Hall. For a while now,
they’ve declared that this would be “the last live before enlistment.” As the
last live, all performances were sold out on the same day (as release).

This was an
encore approximately 4 months after ‘Five Treasures’. While the overall layout
of the setlist remained unchanged, approximately half the songs were replaced.
Additionally, there were songs performed live for the first time, and a
showcase of new songs to be released in Japan and Korea as a present to fans.
Inclusive of the double encore, there were a total of 24 songs. All 4 members
were completely devoted to playing this setlist, which summarises the history
of FTISLAND as they approach their Major Japanese Debut’s 10th
anniversary next May. At the very end, Hongki who is enlisting on September 30th
gave his farewell to fans with a smile: “thank you for these past 10 years! We’ll be back!”.

As Song
Seunghyun (Gt, Vo), Lee Jaejin (Ba, Vo) and Choi Minhwan (Dr) took their
positions, Lee Hongki (Vo) called his usual “shall we go?” and sparks rose from
the stage. Then, the show kicked off with the full-spirited God Bless You. The
band went full-throttle from the start. The fans also stood to meet them,
waving their yellow lights. It was fantastic to see the shining jewel of the ‘Five
Treasures’ tour opening this performance. With the venue immediately united,
they began singing along as Hongki gestured and called out ‘Singing!’ during
the chorus.

“At last,
today is our final. We’ve also prepared a present for you. Firstly, we will be
performing a song that Jaejin and I wrote from our album Everlasting, livefor the first time,” Hongki said. With that, they performed If U Want.
It isa song resonating with Jaejin’s sexy bass. From the outro,
Seunghyun’s impressive guitar connected to their next song Top Secret. These
two songs were rearranged specifically for the encore live. Next, was Theory
of Happiness. Then, with Hongki’s words “I’ll receive your voices!”, the
fans simultaneously started singing along to the beautiful Aqua. This
song is a FT-style J-rock song which truly boosts the sense of unity.

With the
prompt, “Can you go even crazier? SCREAM!”, they launched into the FT-style
band rock songs Take me Now and Pray. It’s been repeatedly
acknowledged that these songs helped them shed their idol image and become a rock
band in Korea. While singing in Korean, Hongki showed off a different
expression. As he sang more heatedly, the heat of the fans who sang along in
unison also rose.

During the
MC, Hongki laughed as he announced, “I’m soaked all the way to my pants!”

He
continued, “Next year it’ll be 10 years from our Japanese (major) debut. However,
we won’t be able to hold concerts. So we’ve organised a segment for our old
songs with a seasonal theme. Despite this tour being called an ‘encore live’,
you all expected us to change things up didn’t you? In order to catch those who
didn’t expect it by surprise, we prepared different songs for this tour. Once
again, I realised we have a lot of good songs. From here on out, I really want
to keep creating good songs too.”

With the
image of ‘4 seasons’ in mind, the next set of songs were rearranged into an
acoustic medley. Spring = Primavera,
summer = Let it Go, rainy season = So Today, autumn = I
Believe Myself andwinter = Winter’s Night. All songs were
rearranged and reconfigured for this performance.

The second
half began with two songs which “radiate feelings of happiness when you sing
along”. In response to the fans singing with full-power to Golden, Hongki’s
whole face lit up with a smile and he shouted, “Amazing!”

“Ah, today
is the end isn’t it? But it’s not the end forever! We will return unchanged so please
don’t worry. So that you’re not sad while you wait, we’ve prepared various
presents for you. I’ve also decided on something. This is true for Japan too,
but in Korea our male fans have increased. I will invite 100 of my Army comrades
to attend our concert.” Hongki spoke while smiling.

“To tell you
the truth, I received the notice of my enlistment just as we arrived in Japan
for these concerts. When I saw it, my heart sank. Even though there were so
many things (schedules) planned for me, I’m sorry you won’t be able to see them,”
he said frankly, with some bitterness.

“It’s a bit
sad, but while you wait we have prepared a present. This next song is the new
song we will release next year in celebration of our Major Debut’s 10th Anniversary.
It’s called Sunrise Yellow. Our colour is yellow right? In order to
achieve Freedom from now on, this song will become a staple at FTISLAND
concerts! Therefore, today’s concert will become the PV!” he announced,
introducing the invigorating new pop tune. It is a song with a springy rhythm,
which will have you unconsciously jumping along.

After the
new song solidified FTISLAND’s set of ‘iron clad*’ songs, the magical main part
of the concert, which had everyone dancing passionately, came to a close.

(*staple
songs, songs that are always strong performed live)

As the calls
for FTISLAND grew steadily louder, the 4 members returned to the stage.

“I’m really
sad that it will be the end after these next 2 songs. However, we will return safely!”
Hongki said, and was met with loud applause.

“Promise
that you won’t forget us. This year has been full of ups and downs. However, no
matter what happens, we can only continue expressing ourselves. We will protect
our voices, the members will not forget how to play their instruments. So promise
you won’t forget us! We may be selfish, but we are serious about our music. We
will continue to improve. Please believe in us.” He spoke earnestly.

“While you
wait, please feel free to go enjoy our junior’s concerts. However, you cannot fall
in love with them!” he said laughing.

With this,
he introduced Don’t Lose Yourself from their upcoming Korean mini album Zapping
to be released on Spetember 9th.

“The song we
are about to sing is our new Korean release. As we were talking about earlier,
this is a song which tells you not to forget your sense of self. The voices of the
audience who sang the chorus at the Korean concert have been put onto the CD. But
I also want to sing with everyone here in Japan.”

Hongki’s
gentle voice enveloped the venue, and meshing with his gradually strengthening
voice, the fans sang along strongly to the chorus. Seeming satisfied with the
song they created with the fans, Hongki gave his thanks “thank you!” while
singing.

“We’ll be reaching
a turning point 10 years after our major debut in Japan, but we won’t be here
for it. When we return, it’ll be the start of our second life. Please
anticipate it. Our dream is to do music as a band even as we grow older. Men
become cooler in their 30s and 40s. It’s the same for our music. I’m looking
forward to it. Thank you so much for the past ten years! We’ll be off!” He gave
his thanks with a gusto. However, it seemed as if he were trying to hide his
tears by looking up into the back of the crowd.

Their ‘arigato’
was full of the thoughts they wished to convey. Hongki waved his hands toward
the stands, to which he received an answering flurry of yellow lights.

More than
ever, the lyrics (from Arigato) “in this selfish life, please stay
beside me. From now on too, please support me” permeated the audience, filling their
hearts.

As they brought
it all to a close, Hongki shouted “Thank you! Laugh!” as he sang. Immediately,
loud calls of ‘encore!’ rose.

“Don’t cry. We’ll
do this song to leave you with smiles on your faces,” he said as he shouted Stay
What You Are with all his power and sang for the audience with a smiling
face.

Looking as
if they were truly finished, the 4 members lined up in the centre and bowed.

“Thanks to you,
I was really happy today,” said Seunghyun and Hongki clapped his hands toward
the audience in praise.

After the
members finished, Jaejin was left alone on stage. He said, “When we said ‘thank
you’, I recalled memories from the last 10 years. Although you will be able to
see me at my solo soon, FTISLAND will be going on a break from today. It’s
lonely, isn’t it? I will remember this view so that when I am down, I can try
my best.”

Then, as
tradition, he shouted “thank you everyone!” without his mic. The answering “thank
you” from fans carried a wave of gratitude in return to him.

FTISLAND
started doing live activities during their teens. At that time, they couldn’t
speak Japanese and their performance skills were still lacking. However, from
their major debut onward, into their 20s, concert tours became the centre of
almost all their activities in Japan. They grew into a band that could hold
concerts in arenas every year. Of course, as their Japanese became more fluent,
they were also able to talk frankly about everything with their fans, who they see
as ‘friends’. At an FTISLAND concert, no matter the venue, the distance between
hearts is close. FTISLAND accepts their fans, and the fans accept them in
return.

Additionally,
after all is said and done, I’ve become addicted to the 3 members’ tight
instrumentals led by Hongki’s heaven-sent live vocals, which can lead you
comfortably through the concert.

We won’t be
able to experience this wonderful sort of concert for approximately 2 years.
However, as Hongki said, they have prepared various presents in the meantime.

The first is
Bassist Jaejin’s solo debut mini album Scene. 27 to be released on
October 9th. He will also be holding his ‘1st Solo Mini Live
Tour – Love Like the Films’ across Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya.

Then, the
three remaining members (sans Hongki) will be representing FTISLAND in ‘2019 FNC
Kingdom – Winter Forest Camp’. It seems we will be able to see collaborations
with their juniors.

Jaejin,
Seunghyun and Minhwan all plan to enlist in 2020. There’s no question that when
they all return in their 30s, they’ll show us more thrilling live performances.
At that time, I wonder what sort of songs they’ll bring back with them.

FT Island have been a busy band over the years. Since their debut, they have helped write and compose an extensive number of songs, and produced many of their own. Below is a list of their self compositions/participations.

During this final
performance, on this day, in this venue, it was certain that everyone thought, “even with only 4 people, this is FTISLAND.”

The Korean rock band FTISLAND held the finale of its ‘FTISLAND
JAPAN LIVE TOUR 2019 FIVE TREASURES’ tour at Hyogo World Memorial Hall on May 5th.
Although already announced, this tour was their last before enlistment.
Starting from Tokyo’s Toyoso PIT on April 4th, there were 13 performances
during their 1-month long tour. From live houses to halls, to Budokan and
finishing in an arena.

Before the show started, the fans in the fully sold-out
audience naturally clapped along to ‘God
Bless You,’ the lead track from their 9th Album ‘Everlasting’
(released on March 27), as they waited impatiently for FTISLAND to make their
entrance. To mark the entrance of the members, the SE (Sound Effect) comprised
of an edited and rearranged version of ‘FT
Island’ from their 1st Korean album ‘Cheerful Sensibility’
(2007).

They announced, “since we can’t do a live next year to
celebrate our Japanese Major Debut’s 10th anniversary, this tour
will reflect our history, from our indie days to now.”

In line with this, the song ‘FT Island” was a concert staple during their indie days. As the
clapping of the fans grew louder to this SE, Minhwan (Dr), Seunghyun (Gt) and
Jaejin (Ba) entered. Then, as Minhwan started to drum a tight beat, Hongki (Vo)
entered and they surged triumphantly into their major debut song, ‘Flower Rock’. Despite being a
fast-paced song, Hongki was impressively able to stitch together a few words.
Fans jumped vigorously with Hongki, and there was a sense of unity from the
start.

During the section with FTISLAND’s anime and drama
compositions, the lyrics to Satisfaction ‘I’ve been searching for the meaning
of happiness. I wondered where it was’ were changed to ‘I wondered if it (the
meaning of happiness) was in Kobe.’ Hearing the fans sing this loudly, Hongki
grinned broadly. During ‘Haruka’,
the theme song for a Japanese drama in which Hongki starred, Seunghyun
demonstrated his rapping skills for the first time in a while.

As Hongki commanded the crowd to ‘Give me your voice!’, the ‘WOWOWO’
sing-along to ‘Aqua’ was born. Hongki
opened his arms wide as if preparing to receive their voices. Then, he added his
own voice thunderously to the fans’ singing. During the one Korean composition
section, Hongki, Jaejin and Seunghyun head-banged to the heavy rock beats. To
the fans riding the momentum of the music, Hongki sang back to them, returning
the favour with his voice. During the sing-along hook of ‘Pray’, as the title suggests, Hongki clasped his hands at his chest
as if in prayer. Hongki and the fan’s voices became entangled with each other
in a whirlpool. As the song finished and the applause sounded, it felt as
though they (the fans and FTISLAND) understood each other through the music. In
FTISLAND’s lives, the rapport between the stage and the audience during this
sort of stage is huge.

After the intense
music, they continued on to a ‘cooling down’ acoustic set. Minhwan said, “We
were worried about how we should let you hear the music from our indies era.

Seunghyun added, “so the songs we’ll play have been put into ‘blocks’ divided
by season. In Japan, it goes spring, rainy season, then summer. However in
Korea, the rainy season comes after summer. Without knowing this, we created
the order according to Korea.”

To the backing of Seunghyun’s acoustic guitar,
Jaejin started singing ‘Soyogi’, the
ballad which conjures images of spring. Then, the bass was layered on top, and
the vocal baton was passed to Seunghyun. During the hook of the song, Hongki’s
vocals and Minhwan’s cajón overlapped, resounding
in a beautiful harmony.

The mutual voices of Hongki and the fans in the venue took
hold for the summery ‘Brand new Days’.
Although it had been performed in this style since the first day at Toyosu PIT,
the timing was changed from the original, and fans struggled to align with the
new arrangement. However, fans finally succeeded during the final, and in
response Hongki’s entire face lit up, and he gave the audience a thumbs up.

‘Raining’, the song
coloured with the rainy season, started with Minhwan’s vocals and the fan’s voices
layered upon each other. As the fans sang the chorus, Hongki would provide the
harmony. He praised the fans, saying “I love hearing you sing. If I compare it
to the first day, you’ve gradually gotten better.”

However, it wasn’t just FTISLAND’s
main vocal Hongki singing, Jaejin, Seunghyun and Minhwan all took turns at the
vocals. It was the addition of the fans’ vocals, creating perfect unity, which made
this song so attractive. Sometimes intense, sometimes gentle, FTISLAND do not only
push with power, but have also built up songs with varied expressions.
Especially during this tour, there were many such scenes. The face of Hongki,
who watched the fans singing along with gentle eyes, also created a lasting
impression.

“The atmosphere has become sad with only ballads, so we’ll
raise your spirits with our favourite songs now,” said Hongki as ‘Hold the Moon’ started. When it was
time for ‘Golden’, a song which
Hongki professed he loved, he put his foot on the step and yelled ‘C’mon’. Gathering
his voice, the excitement in the audience was roused.

The last section started with ‘Freedom’. Hongki descended from the stage and sprayed the audience
with a water gun. After Seunghyun’s scream, Seunghyun and Jaejin both went from left to right, moving around all over the stage. At Hongki’s command of ‘sit down!’,
the audience all sat in their seats at once. Then, at the height of the song,
they all stood and shook their towels.

Continuing the excitement, next was the
FT-style party tune ‘Puppy’. It was
enjoyable experiencing the duet between the fans and FT, and there was also
great unity enveloping the room for ‘Mitaiken
Future’. With Minhwan’s drums gaining momentum, they brought their story to
a close with their latest song ‘God
Bless You.’ Its powerful sound enveloped the hall right until the end.

The encore opened with the magnificent ballad ‘Paradise’. On Hongki’s lead, Jaejin and
Seunghyun sang solo, and then he pointed to the male fans in the audience and said,
“just you (sing)!” Afterward, he said “Everyone!” and the whole hall sang as
one.

“The next song is the last song of the tour. Everyone, you’ve
worked hard,” Hongki said, while hanging his head low, “It’s been a long tour. We
were ok with performing in small venues, because we said we just wanted to
perform throughout Japan. To be the only Korean band to have been able to perform
in so many different places, we held that sort of pride too.”

“Oh!” he shouted
excitedly.

“Soon, we’ll have to head off, but we still have the Hiroshima
live in August (replacement live), and my solo fan-meeting in July. We want to
hold concerts until the very last moment before we leave. Even if it’s a
sudden, surprise announcement, will you come play with us?” he asked the
audience.

“This concert held a lot of meaning for us. We wanted to say ‘bye
bye’ with smiles on our faces, however instead we made you worry. We will
protect FTISLAND as 4. Even when we return (from enlistment), we will continue
to be a band, so I ask that you please give us your continued support,” he said,
which was met with long applause.

“We still have many things we want to show you, music we want
to do, things we want to do. So we want to hold concerts until you all get sick
of it,” he conveyed passionately to the fans.

Seunghyun, who became the lone guitarist this tour said, “during
this tour, my position changed. Because there was not much time to
practice, I considered cancelling the tour. However, I tried my hardest in
order to protect our promise to you. You never know where life will lead you next. I
received a lot of power from you. Thank you very much.”

On the first day at
Toyosu PIT, his performance was filled with uncertainty. However, by the last
day he showed us a stable and relaxed performance. There’s no mistaking it,
Seunghyun was the one who grew the most during this tour.

“I’ve spent more than half my life with FTISLAND. From now
on, we will work hard to protect the precious name of FTISLAND, so please give
us your continued support.” (Minhwan)

“I used to worry about things like ‘why do you guys like us?’.
Now, I just want to move forward with you all. We were nothing. Thank you so
much for giving us the opportunity to shine.” (Jaejin)

One by one, they expressed their gratitude to the fans. Then,
Hongki continued.

“Your support has strengthened our bond. You passed it on to
us during every live, and I felt myself sigh after it was over. It wasn’t a
sigh of worry, but rather a ‘thank goodness.’ I’m grateful,” Hongki said.

As he
brought the concert to a close, he said “This is ‘Arigato’, a song that carries many meanings,” and launched into the
first line of ‘Arigato’.

“We did it yesterday, so you would be mad if we didn’t do it
today, right?” Hongki added as he surged into ‘Stay What You Are’. Hongki showed an amazing smile as he watched
fans sing along determinedly. When the song finished, calls for another encore
immediately rose. With ‘Orange Days’,
this became the first triple encore of the tour. One final time, the sound of fans
singing along swelled, bringing the concert to a close.

From now on, FTISLAND has become a 4-person band. On the
first day, the fans conveyed their worries, however the 4 members responded one
by one to these feelings during their performances. It felt as though the bonds
between them and their fans have gradually grown even stronger. During this final
performance, on this day, in this venue, it was certain that everyone thought, “even with only 4 people, this is FTISLAND.”

After this, FTISLAND will return to the Hiroshima City
Cultural Exchange Hall on August 24 for a make-up performance. The previous
performance on April 20 was cancelled due to the poor condition of
Hongki’s throat.

Hongki will also be holding his solo fan-meeting ‘Never
Ending Story’ on July 12 and 13 at Pacifico Yokohama, National Convention Hall
of Yokohama.

Jaejin will be participating as a guest bassist during ‘N.FLYING
2019 Live in Japan Brotherhood’ starting from June 4.

Hongki gave a teaser that “there might be a surprise soon.” It
seems that FTISLAND could be preparing chances for concerts right up until the
moment they leave.

“There was a time I wanted to break the rules. I called the company to ask if I could go out. I was stupid. I could’ve just sneaked out. I ended up arguing with the company on the phone for 3 hours and fell asleep.”

This is an episode Lee Hongki shared 2 years ago when FTISLAND released their 6th official album ‘Where’s The Truth?’ It was his answer to a joke that Hongki looks like a troublemaker but hasn’t caused any trouble. Lee Hongki’s confession made everyone at the interview burst into laughter. At the same time, his story also took away some of the fixed ideas about Lee Hongki.

Lee Hongki has a strong image of a ‘rebel.’ When you search Lee Hongki and agency ‘FNC Entertainment’ on a video site, you’ll find the word ‘diss’ in related search results. But the fact that he thought to ask the company for permission to go out…I realized Hongki was a more proper and innocent young man than I thought he was.

The interview was a refreshing experience for me. During the interview, Lee Hongki opened up everything about himself; how it took FTISLAND 8 years to change their color because they started out with popular music and the criticisms he faced for being in an ‘idol band.’ I also felt his certainty on FTISLAND’s future direction and his confidence in their music. Up until that point, I only knew Lee Hongki as ‘flower band vocal’ and ‘acting and variety show idol.’ I was surprised and glad to meet the sides of Lee Hongki that I didn’t know.

That feeling recently came back to me through Mnet ‘Produce 48′ and tvN ‘Road to Ithaca.’ In each program, Lee Hongki revealed aspects of a ‘musician’ as a vocal trainer and the youngest rocker.

In ‘Produce 48,’ Lee Hongki became more than a vocal trainer to idol trainees. He analyzed specialties and habits of countless trainees to give each trainee an individualized lesson. He also didn’t settle with teaching just techniques. Hongki touched on the mindset of an idol. Many of ‘Produce 48′ viewers and idol fans agreed with this remark: “The center isn’t someone with a pretty face and how she looks with the mission song. The center shouldn’t be a trainee who stands out in the team but a trainee who can tell the audience ‘look at us.’“ Lee Hongki was able to give this jab and device because he was an idol for more than 10 years.

While Lee Hongki boasts more than enough experience to be a mentor on a survival program, he is still afraid of how others judge him. He opened up about his far on ‘Road to Ithaca.’

In a recent episode, Lee Hongki worried if YB’s Yoo Dohyun and Guckkasten’s Ha Hyunwoo will acknowledge him as a rocker. It’s because of his strong ‘idol band’ image. This didn’t matter. Yoon Dohyun and Ha Hyunwoo were blown away by Lee Hongki’s vocal skills. When Lee Hongki sang Guckkasten’s ‘Red Field’ with his own style, original singer Ha Hyunwoo was shocked. After Lee Hongki finished singing, Ha Hyunwoo couldn’t stop complimenting him for a while: “You sing this song really well. How can you sing it so well?” “I kept backing up because I was so surprised,” “I think ‘Red Field’ suits you better than me.”

In an interview with staff, Ha Hyunwoo said, “I had to think ‘was Hongki always this good at singing?’” This was Ha Hyunwoo admitting that he had a fixed idea about Lee Hongki. But he gave a thumb up by saying, “this was my first time ever seeing someone else sing my song better than I do.” Yoon Dohyun also said he was surprised.

Like Ha Hyunwoo and Yoon Dohyun, ‘Road to Ithaca’ viewers were also surprised by Lee Hongki’s vocal skills. FTISLAND became popular with their 2007 debut song ‘Love Sick.’ But the mass public didn’t view FTISLAND as artists. Rock bands openly looked down on FTISLAND. They couldn’t accept that an idol group planned and produced by an entertainment agency would work as a band that makes its own music and performs instruments. Lee Hongki’s vocal skill was under-evaluated for the same reason.

Above all, Lee Hongki should be praised for not stopping despite such prejudice. Lee Hongki sang, acted and appeared on variety shows to promote FTISLAND. He fulfilled his responsibility until ‘the time comes for me to do what I do best.’ At the end of the time of silently making his mark is today’s Lee Hongki. As senior to idols, he’s an example for trainees. As a band member, he is acknowledged by musicians YB and Guckkasten. Lee Hongki’s true quality is shining.

Even Japanese Celebrities Focus On Them!We Approach FTISLAND’s Pranks and Natural “Humaneness.”

What a mischievous bunch. FTISLAND is a Korean rock band but they are fluent in Japanese. During the interview, they suddenly started talking about sexual contents and continuously went off topic. But their humaneness and love for a band captured the hearts of many Japanese celebrities, starting with ONE OK ROCK. FTISLAND’s biggest charming points are main vocal Lee Hongki’s heart stirring singing voice and their boundless LIVE performance. In their 8th album『PLANET BONDS (released April 11th) and the following tour, we hope you see their kind humaneness.

Which Member Is Like An “Avocado?”

―― When it’s been 8 years since a major debut in Japan, you are pretty much done with new interviews. But this is your first time with Livedoor. We want to know about you. Let’s start with guitarist Seunghyun.

Hongki: After drinking, we went straight to Seunghyun’s place. It was so messy. If I was a girl, I’m never going back (Laughs). He’s that kind of a person.

Seunghyun: Ah… I’m sorry

―― ^^ What about drummer Minhwan?

Jonghun: He may not look it but he is filled with emotions.

Jaejin: And he’s manly…he is very patient, tries hard to understand the other person. He’s a cool guy.

―― What kind of a person is leader & guitarist Jonghun?

Hongki: He has a sensitive heart. Like a jelly or breasts?

―― Hongki, please refrain from sexual content during the interview ^^

Hongki: Eh—!

Jaejin: Isn’t he more like an avocado than a jelly?―― What do you mean?

Jaejin: I think he is hard on the outside but soft on the inside with a hard seed in the middle, just like an avocado.

―― I see. That’s a good comparison What about bassist Jaejin?

Jaejin: Jaejin is a good person!

Minhwan: Don’t talk about yourself (Laughs). Jaejin is the brain of FTISLAND. He always comes up with good ideas.

Jonghun: (After using a translator program) He is a hedgehog.

Minhwan: Ah, I know! He usually hides his weapon but can strike anytime.

Jaejin: I’m a man who does it when I need to!

―― And finally, how is vocal Lee Hongki?

Jonghun: He is a hamster. If you just look at him, he looks nice. But he is very clear on what he wants to do and what he doesn’t want to do. So he just keeps doing fun stuff.

Hongki: I’m not a cute animal like that. I’m a chameleon! I keep changing.

Acknowledged by Korea’s Legendary Singer, Hongki’s Vocal

―― It’s been 8 years since your major debut in Japan but 11 years in Korea. I’m asking this late but how did you start as a band?

Jonghun: I can’t dance so I couldn’t be an idol (Laughs). But I was always interested in music. But doing it alone isn’t fun so I thought, it’d be fun to do music together as a band. That’s how I started.

―― Starting with drama『You’re Beautiful,』Hongki has been doing music and acting. You actually acted as a child. Why did you want to be a singer instead of an actor?

Hongki: Because I was good at singing (Laughs). In middle school, I went to noraebang every day and everyone told me I was really good at singing. So I sang at a school festival and got recruitment offers from various places. My current agency is one of them. At that time, I was losing interest in acting so I thought it’d be nice to be a singer.

―― If you hadn’t sang at the school festival, you may have not become a singer. Also, who is your most influential artist or song?

Hongki: Korean artist Im Jaebum. His singing voice warms my heart. He is called ‘Rock Daddy’ in Korea. He is a legend. He told me, “you are my son.” He also invited me to many TV shows.

From Arata Mackenyu to Ayano Go, FTISLAND Has Many Japanese Celebrity Friends.

―― In『Primavera』released in 2015, FTISLAND collaborated with ONE OK ROCK’s Taka and the two bands’ friendship is famous among fans. What do you talk about with ONE OK ROCK members?

Hongki: We talk a lot about music. We ask about the music we are doing now and songs that we are working on.

―― In February, ONE OK ROCK had a concert in Korea.

Hongki: Many Japanese bands are doing LIVE in Korea lately. Taka told me, “I’m going to Korea. I want to see you.” But I couldn’t go to the LIVE because I had a shoot for drama ‘Korean Odyssey.” The shoot ended around 3:30 a.m. so I went to see him briefly. So I ended up going straight back to the drama set without sleeping (Laughs). Jaejin went to the LIVE.

―― How was ONE OK ROCK LIVE?

Jaejin: There are many Korean male celebrities who are fan of ONE OK ROCK. So I went to LIVE with them. It was great. It’s one of my TOP 5 LIVES. I’m not in a position to judge but I want to tell him, “it was great!”―― Which part of LIVE did you like?

Jaejin: When we do LIVE, we don’t put cameras on stage. But ONE OK ROCK shot from the stage and showed that on the screen. Seeing that, I thought cameras aren’t as distracting as I thought. The video of fans singing together looked pretty. I want to try that at our LIVE too.

―― You found a hint for your LIVE.

Jaejin:Yes. I can learn from other band LIVEs.

―― I want to hear about your friends. At last December’s『FNC KINGDOM IN JAPAN』actor Arata Mackenyu came to see your LIVE.

Jaejin: That’s right. I don’t have any younger friends so Mackenyu is cute (Laughs). A friend introduced us and we became close. Mackenyu isn’t like a party animal. I think he just really likes to chat with a bunch of guys. He is cool, works hard and has a clear idea of what he wants to do. Even though he is young, we stay as friends.

―― Hongki calls actor Ayano Go “girlfriend” ^^

Hongki: Not just Ayano Go, I have many Japanese celebrity fans. A friend introduces me to his friend so I got to know many of them (Laughs). I think we are good at Japanese because we made many friends in Japan. But it’s hard when they all come to Korea.

―― Why?

Hongki: I’m speaking Japanese in Korea. But when a Japanese friend comes to Korea and introduce him to my Korean friend, I have to translate Korean and Japanese (Laughs).

―― That sounds hard. Earlier, you talked about ONE OK ROCK LIVE in Korea. It doesn’t look like a band culture is that big in Korea. What benefits do you think Japan have for bands?

Minhwan: Japan has many rehearsal studios. I’m jealous of that because there aren’t that many in Korea. From big concert venues to small stages for amateurs, there are countless options in Japan. But there aren’t even that many LIVE houses in Korea. So there’s not many opportunities to see bands. I’m sure there are some kids who don’t know about bands. You only see idols on TV.

―― If Korean children tries to do a band, where do they practice?

Minhwan: A school or a church.Jaejin: In Korea, a street called Hongdae is the music street similar to Simokitazawa in Japan. But it has very few studios and LIVE houses.

Gaming in PC Room, How They Enjoy Japan.

―― You’ve come to Japan several times. How do you have fun in Japan?

Seunghyun: I went to a PC room in Nagoya to play a network war game that I’m addicted to (Laughs). The members said they’ll come later so I made an appointment and got there first, downloaded the game and waited. I often go to a PC room in Tokyo too.

―― You come to Japan and still play a game?

Seunghyun: Yes (Laughs). I do think I should stop when I’m in Japan but other than that, I’m the happiest when shopping, taking a walk, drinking craft beer and eating delicious food.

―― In Korea, bottled beer is the main alcohol.

Minhwan: I don’t really go out…But when I come to Japan, I want to eat ramen or natto.

Jaejin: I enjoy local Japanese food like Misonikomi udon in Nagoya. I like food that doesn’t exist in Korea. It’s like with green vegetables and has sticky white balls in the middle…(Draws a picture).

―― Ah, that’s okura.

Jaejin: Okura is delicious. Ah, you can find it everywehre in Japan (Laughs).

―― Hongki?

Hongki: I enjoy going out for a drink with friends. I sometimes drink Japanese alcohol. I like Highball.

「If you keep the bond, you can reach your dream」The Message In The Album

―― 8th album『PLANET BONDS』comes out April 11th. What message is in the title song 『Hold the moon?』

Hongki: I wrote『Hold the moon.』 It’s main theme is “hope” and “dream.” “BONDS” in 『PLANET BONDS』 means ties. There are many kinds of ties. FTISLAND met by ties. We included the message that if we keep the bonds, we can reach the moon, which represents our dream. In『PLANET BONDS』jacket, we are going up the staircase to the moon.

―― The album has 10 songs. Please tell me your favorite song and recommend the best time to listen to it.

Hongki: Mm~ I like all of them… Once you listen to『SAYONARA,』its melody and lyrics will stay with you but…I guess I have to pick『Golden.』I hope you listen to it when you lose self-confidence. I wrote its lyrics. It goes “yourself is the most handsome, the coolest.” I hoped it’d boost self-confidence. There are ups and downs in life. When there are good times, there are also bad times. But you are still the coolest so you don’t have to worry.

―― Then the lyrics are based on Hongki’s real experience.

Hongki: That’s right. I like myself the best so I trust myself the most. I get angry when I fall but I get up in the end. I went through several of them in life but I try to forget the bad right away. I don’t drag the past along. I hope everyone does the same.

―― Jaejin?

Jaejin: 『Skyway.』I recommend you listen to it while showering in the morning. It has good beats and it’s a very romantic song.

Jonghun: I pick『FLOWER ROAD.』All the members sang it and I hope we sing it together at LIVE.Minhwan: I also pick『FLOWER ROAD.』

Seunghyun: I like『SAYONARA』 and Jaejin’s 『Dancing on.』It’s fun to perform『Dancing on.』I look forward to performing it at our next LIVE. Minhwan, isn’t it hard to drum for Jaejin’s song?

Hongki: Yes, we only have LIVE. I think our LIVE applies ointments on our fans’ heart. I think it’s healing.

―― Which song from the album would be the most fun to play at LIVE?

Hongki: We haven’t done it yet~ Every song is different. Some songs can be more fun to listen to than when performed LIVE. So we don’t know until we try them. I’m looking forward to everyone’s reaction!

The first trainer has been revealed for upcoming survival program “Produce 48”! On April 5, industry representatives reported that FTISLAND’s Lee Hong Ki will be participating in “Produce 48” as a vocal trainer. In response, a source from the program commented, “It is true that Lee Hong Ki is appearing on ‘Produce 48’ as a vocal trainer.” The source continued, “Not only does he have outstanding…

Jaejin: “We are preparing music and various other things so our fans don’t get
bored in the meantime.”

Hongki: “Musicality depends on a band’s colour,
but I think conveying your favourite genre, your favourite stories, your
favourite songs, from yourself to your audience is what a band is.”

The band who celebrated their 10th anniversary
last year, FTISLAND, will release their 8th album ‘Planet Bonds’. Even
though the members produced songs rich in variety, listening to all the songs
resulted in a fully unified, FTISLAND feeling. In preparation for their Spring
Live (tour), they also talked about various things which occurred from
production until now.

Interviewer: It’s your 11th year and you’re
entering a new chapter with a new album! Last year you celebrated your 10th
anniversary and this year it’s now your 11th, isn’t it?

Hongki: “The enthusiasm from our 10th year still
remains, so I don’t particularly pay attention to the fact that it’s our 11th.”

Minhwan: “We all met in our teens, so it feels strange that
our 20s will be over soon (laughs).”

Jonghoon: “As we’ve all reached adulthood, I think we need to
work harder.”

Seunghyun: “Making music is fundamentally working hard
together as a band. However, we show ourselves individually in front of our
fans, so I think as individuals we also have to grow.”

Jaejin: “I feel that we’re starting anew now that our 10th
anniversary is over. As we must fulfill our duties as Korean men (and enlist)
soon, we are preparing music and various other things so our fans don’t get
bored in the meantime. With these thoughts, we’ve been doing a variety of
things lately.”

Interviewer: They created their 8th album ‘Planet Bonds’ with
these feelings. What kind of album have you made?

Hongki: “There are many (songs) with bright lyrics full of
hope. There are also powerful songs and softer songs reminiscent of our indie
days. As implied by the title ‘BONDS’, the flow between songs is quite
important. So, to begin with, we wish for you to listen to the songs in order, from
the first track.”

Jaejin: “The word ‘PLANET’ holds great meaning, including
Earth. However, recently, I feel like there are many ways to understand the
word. Not only Japan and Korea but as we are able to communicate across various
worlds, I feel there is only one ‘PLANET’. Therefore, I believe that ‘PLANET’
also means (large) scale bonds between people.”

Interviewer: The lead song ‘Hold the Moon’ is composed and
written by Hongki. Please tell us about what happened during production.

Hongki: “Recently, I’ve really liked the atmosphere of songs
featuring synth. I actually thought the song would have been good for my solo
and was warming up to it, but I decided to provide it for the production of
this album instead.”

Interviewer:‘Hold the Moon’, is different from Jaejin’s
works: ‘Dancing On’ which has a band sound, and ‘Game’ which has an impressive
bass.

Jaejin: “I created ‘Dancing On’ while imagining it performed
by a different band. It’s nostalgic as it’s got a similar atmosphere to the
songs FTISLAND performed a long time ago. It’s been a while so I asked the
members ‘what do you think?’ and their thoughts were, ‘let’s put it in!’. ‘Game’
is a song I originally made while thinking about FT songs. As there aren’t many
bass-focused songs, I made the song while trying to be conscious of the bass
sound. I adopted the same arrangement (although the chords changed) as Hongki’s
‘Champagne’ (included in the 7th album ‘United Shadows’) as I wanted
to try something more fun.”

Interviewer:Did you insert the impressive bass line later?

Jaejin: “This time, I put it in from the beginning. From
there, I put in the drums and guitar, then decide on the overall composition
and then attach a melody. Usually, there are a lot of times I would create it
from an orchestral accompaniment. By doing it like this, the way the melody unfurls
will suit the song. There are many cases where the melody comes first in order
to create the feeling of freedom. However, recently, we’ve been creating a lot
of songs starting with the musical accompaniment first.

Interviewer: It’s been a while, but ‘Skyway’ is written and
composed by Minhwan isn’t it?

Minhwan: “To begin with, I wished to convey feelings of hope
in my song. Because I like the night sky, I wrote this song while thinking of
the fans as I star-gazed.”

Seunghyun: “I also worked hard on composing, but the colour
of my songs was a bit different from this album’s so unfortunately they weren’t
included (laughs).”

Interviewer:During the ‘FTISLAND POPPING MINI LIVE’ in
Nagoya in February, Hongki said Seunghyun’s song was ‘an amazing song’ didn’t
he?

Hongki: “It felt a bit like 80’s rock and it really conveyed
Seung-chan’s feelings well, so I liked that about it. When we met up to decide
which songs to record, I said I wanted to arrange it and include it. However, we
ran out of time, so it didn’t make it in this time. It might be in the next
one!”

Seunghyun: “The songs I make all tend to be a bit different
from FTISLAND’s colour. Next time I think it would be nice to make a song which
suits the member’s performance style, so that no matter if Hongki-niisan or
Jaejin-niisan sings it, it’ll get the ‘OK’.”

Interviewer: We anticipate it!

Interviewer:Composer Jonghoon’s ‘Flower Road’ is a song
where everyone sings. In FT’s case, there are many songs where all members take
the vocals aren’t there?

Jonghoon: “Yes, it’s always there. It’s been a while since
everyone’s sung, so I have brought this song to close the album, but there’s
also meaning there. From the very beginning, as I created this song, I was
thinking all 5 of us would sing. I will be happy if you feel like your heart
has been cleansed after listening to it until the end.”

Interviewer: Although the members created the songs separately,
there’s a sense of unity when listening to them all.

Jaejin: “Even if we say it feels like FT, I don’t think it
would be an FT album unless each individual’s personality was mixed in. So it
goes without saying that it’s natural for us, as FT, to make songs and arrange
them.”

Jaejin: “Nothing has been decided yet. We are releasing a new
album, so while we prepare our new live I think it’s important that we show
everyone a new (type of) rock. We’re thinking of making the image a little more
‘pop’ so that even people who don’t know our songs can sing along.”

Seunghyun: “When making a setlist, it’s usually Hongki-niisan
who creates it initially. Then, after that, the four of us will check over it.
However, as it’s a live in the Spring, I really want to line up songs which
will suit the Spring. I like all the songs, but I really want to play ‘Sayonara’
while conveying the feelings of the lyrics.”

Hongki: “But I haven’t decided on anything yet, ok? (laughs)”

Interviewer: Although it’s a bit abstract, what does the word
‘band’ mean for FTISLAND?

Hongki:
“Generally speaking, in simple terms, the word ‘band’ gives the impression of
being cool or free. However, our true experience is that being in a band gives
us a chance to translate the things we want to express about ourselves by our
own hands. I think that’s good enough. Musicality depends on a band’s colour,
but I think conveying your favourite genre, your favourite stories, your
favourite songs, from yourself to your audience is what a band is.”

Their official agency revealed “FTISLAND is planning to enlist together. Because they are 5 persons, it can happen with 2 persons enlisting first and then have the remaining members enlisting one by one,
we are currently still looking for a way for them to realize this plan to at least enlist together in a similar period of time.”

The system of enlisting together means that close friends or colleagues will be able to enlist and train together, it is a system that allows them to be in the same unit until they complete their enlistment, and during their enlistment, they will be able to fulfill their military duties while carrying on their daily lives. Even though this system only allows 2 persons to enlist together, but efforts will be taken so that all the 5 members will join the enlistment together as soon as possible.

The reason why enlisting together is being considered seriously is to minimize the gap. Unlike dance groups with a lot of members like Super Junior, FTISLAND is a band that it will be hard to maintain their activities without even just one member. It is reported that they enlist together so that they can maintain their activities as a group.

Their enlistment period is expected to happen at least next year. Choi Jonghoon and Lee Hongki were born in 1990, Lee Jaejin was born in 1991, and Song Seunghyun and Choi Minhwan were born in 1992. Even though with their age, they can still delay their enlistment and no warrant has been issued yet, and so the time of enlistment hasn’t been decided yet, the members plan to enlist this year at the soonest or next year at the latest.

The music industry insiders revealed, “For boygroups, the biggest issue would be their military enlistment. Even when they meet the members of other groups, they will also talk about enlistment. There is plan for FTISLAND and Highlight to enlist together, and I think that there are other groups who are interested in this. I think it is a great solution to minimize the period of absence.”